His wife His prisoner

Chapter 1: Golden Beginnings The gala hall was crowded, but I noticed him the moment he walked in. Henry Blackwood. Tall, confident, with a smile that made heads turn. “Ruby Alex,” he said, extending his hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you,”he added. I blinked, a little surprised. “Oh… really?” “Yes,” he replied with an easy smile. “Your work at the bank. People say you’re one of the most reliable officers they have.” I let out a small laugh. “That sounds like something my boss would say."I said. “Then your boss must be very proud,” he said. There was something about the way he spoke that was calm and direct. Almost like he was studying me without making it obvious. “I hope I’m not being too forward,” he added, “but I wanted to meet you in person.” “I’m glad you did,” I said, even though part of me felt a little unsure. We talked for a few minutes, just simple conversation about work, the event, nothing too personal. Then someone called him from across the room. “Duty calls,” he said. “I’ll see you again, Ruby.” I nodded. “Maybe.” And just like that, he walked away. ********** The next morning, my alarm rang at six as usual. I got ready for work, pushing thoughts of the gala out of my mind. I had deadlines to meet, and I couldn’t afford distractions. The bank was already busy when I arrived. “Ruby, you’re early again,” Clara said, dropping her bag beside her desk. “I have reports to finish,” I replied, turning on my laptop. “You always have reports to finish,” she said, giving me a look. “Do you ever rest?”she asked. “I’ll rest when everything is done.”i said. She laughed. “That means never.” Clara was my closest friend at work. She was straightforward, sometimes too blunt, but I appreciated that about her. “By the way,” she added, leaning closer, “who was that man you were talking to last night?” I paused. “You saw that?”I asked,surprised. “Everyone saw that,” she said. “That wasn’t just any man.”she added. “It was just a conversation,” I said, focusing on my screen. She hummed, clearly not convinced. “We’ll see.” I shook my head and continued working.Work kept me busy the entire day. Meetings, reports, clients. It was exhausting, but it kept my mind occupied. By the time I got home, I was tired. “Ruby, you’re back,” my mother said softly from the living room. “Yes, Mom,” I replied, dropping my bag. “How was work?” “Busy, as always.” She smiled gently. “You need to take care of yourself.” “I will,” I said, though I knew I wouldn’t. My father sat nearby, watching the news. “Hard work is good,” he said without looking at me, “but don’t let it consume you.” “I understand, Dad.” Just then, I heard the sound of heels approaching. “Look who finally made it home,” a familiar voice said. I turned to see Selena, my older sister. Selena had always been different from me. She liked attention, she dresses well, speaks confidently, and always knows how to carry herself and people notice her easily. Whilst growing up, we were constantly compared. “You look exhausted,” she said, crossing her arms. “Work,” I replied. “You always blame work,” she said with a slight smirk. “Because it’s always work,"I said. She laughed softly. “Or maybe you just don’t know how to live outside of it,”she replied. I ignored that, because conversations with Selena always felt like that. Not exactly arguments, but never completely comfortable either. At dinner, everything felt normal again. My mother talked about her day, while my father listened quietly. Selena occasionally added comments, sometimes light, sometimes not. Then, out of nowhere, she spoke again. “So,” she said, looking at me, “who was that man from the gala?” I paused, my fork halfway to my mouth. “I saw you,” she continued. “You looked… interested.” “It was just a conversation,” I said calmly. She raised an eyebrow. “You keep saying that.” “Because it’s true,"I said. She leaned back, studying me. “Men like that don’t just approach someone without a reason.” “It’s not that deep, Selena.”i said. ********** The next few days passed quickly. It's just work, home and sleep. I kept myself busy and tried not to think about anything else. But sometimes, without meaning to, I remembered that night. The way he spoke. The way he looked at me. I told myself it was nothing. It had to be. “Ruby, are you even listening?” Clara’s voice snapped me back to reality. “Sorry,” I said. “What were you saying?” She folded her arms. “You’ve been distracted lately.” “I’m just tired.” “Hmm,” she said. “Does this have anything to do with that man?” I sighed. “No, Clara.” She smiled knowingly. “Alright. I won’t push.” But I could tell she didn’t believe me. That evening, I decided to stop by a small café before heading home. I needed a moment to clear my head. I ordered coffee and sat by the window, watching people pass by. It was quiet and peaceful. For once, my mind wasn’t racing. “Do you always look this serious when you’re thinking?” A voice said beside me. I knew that voice so I looked up slowly. It's Henry, standing right in front of me. I blinked, surprised. “Henry?” He smiled. “I was hoping I’d run into you again.” I let out a small breath. “You call this coincidence?” He shrugged. “Let’s just say I know good places when I see them.” I shook my head, trying not to smile. “That’s not convincing.” “Maybe not,” he said, pulling out the chair opposite me. “Can I sit?” I hesitated for a moment. Then I nodded. “Okay.” He sat down, relaxed, like he belonged there. “Have you been well?” he asked. “Busy,” I replied. “Work doesn’t slow down.”i added. “I can tell,” he said, studying me for a moment. “You look like someone who takes everything seriously,”he said again. “I have to,” I said. “That’s how I got here.” He nodded slightly. “I respect that.” “I’d like to get to know you better, Ruby,” he said finally. “We’ll see,” I said instead. He smiled, like that answer was enough. That night, as I lay in bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about him, about what Selena said and about the way everything came. I wanted to believe it was nothing. But deep down, I knew something had changed. And I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it.